Historic Scots play to be performed for first time in original format since 1554

6 June 2013

Tomorrow, Friday 7th June 2013, will see Linlithgow Palace Peel returning to the 16th century to provide the historic setting for the first ever full-length production of Sir David Lyndsay’s drama, A Satire of the Three Estates, which will be performed in its entirety for the first time since 1554.

The play, directed by Gregory Thompson, will be performed by professional actors including Tam Dean Burn, Liam Brennan, Jimmy Chisholm, Alison Peebles and Gerda Stevenson on June 7th, 8th and 9th at Linlithgow Palace Peel.

She said: “To see A Satire of the Three Estates performed in the stunning setting of Linlithgow Peel will be a fantastic experience.

“The play is one of the finest examples of the use of Scots language and many of its themes are still relevant today. It looks at Scottish society and national identity in the 16th century and asks how Scotland should move forward.

“Over 400 years later, as we approach next year’s Independence Referendum, we are once again asking what is the best way forward for the future of Scotland. “

There will also be hour long Interlude performances based on the original play performed in the Great Halls at Linlithgow Palace and Stirling Castle on Tuesday 11 June at Linlithgow Palace and Thursday 13th June at Stirling Castle.

The Interlude performed on Thursday 13th June in the magnificent setting of Stirling Castle’s Great Hall, will take place from 6:30 – 9.30 pm with the performance lasting one hour and will include a drinks reception at Stirling Castle before the main performance and the opportunity to take an exclusive evening visit of the beautifully restored Royal Palace apartments.

These performances are part of a two-year project supported by Historic Scotland with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

The project is set to throw the spotlight on this satirical political drama penned more than 400 years ago. It allows researchers from the universities of Edinburgh, Brunel, Southampton and Glasgow to delve below the surface of these plays and explore how far each play might have been shaped by the spaces where they were performed.

For information:

Please be aware that due to the themes in the play, we do not recommend this event for children.

This is an outdoor event so we suggest that you bring along something lawn friendly to sit on – the weather forecast is looking good so far, but it’s always a good idea to be prepared for inclement weather!

We are not allowed to have alcohol at the performance due to licensing restrictions, so please be aware of this as we will have to confiscate any alcohol on site.

Pay and display parking will be available at the Vennel car park which is located close to Linlithgow Palace.

Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament.